For Those Who Love Infographics

Tag: first lady

You know what an alcoholic looks like, right? Stumbling around, slurring their speech, and generally lacking a control over their life. However, 20% of alcoholics have a very different face to their alcoholism. These alcoholics seem calm and in control of their lives, reaching success in their career, in school, or in social situations. It might not be apparent that they drink at all. Because they are able to achieve success — at least, for the time being — these people may not even realize their alcohol dependence is a problem. These people are called “high-functioning” alcoholics.

Some of the warning signs of high-functioning alcoholism are drinking alone, becoming a different person when they drink or hostile when they can’t, joking that they have a drinking problem, replacing food with alcohol, or using the alcohol as a tool to boost their confidence. Many famous people alive today or throughout history were high-functioning alcoholics, from Samuel L. Jackson all the way back to Alexander the Great. All of these alcoholics faced a crisis that either helped them turn their lives around — or lead to their demise.